Concert review: Built to Spill & Yo La Tengo | 07.12.25, The Pageant (with photo gallery)

Photo of Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo by Laura Jerele

Built to Spill, and Yo La Tengo are two very unique bands that can actually both prove the same two points. First point being you do not need a massive stage production to keep an audience engaged, enthralled, and on their feet for the entirety of a show. And the second being a three-piece band can produce a massive amount of lush and amazing sound!

This tour of is a fantastic billing and a perfect pairing of two legendary bands, so the show pretty much felt like a double bill. Especially because Yo La Tengo was not limited to a short set and played for well over an hour. Oh, and did I mention that the Pageant was packed and damn near sold out?

Yo La Tengo blends really deep melodic sound and fuzzy noise into this magical catalog of music that feels a bit transcendent. Hushed tones never felt so loud. Their set included songs like “Decora” and “Stockholm Syndrome,” with the set-ending “I Heard You Looking” being my favorite of the night. There is no flash, no pomp and circumstance, just three very simple band members (Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley, and James McNew) on stage, and dialed into their fuzzy version of perfection. Not afraid to poke fun of themselves, singer and guitarist Kaplan picked up his guitar and when he strummed it, it was massively out of tune, so as they stopped so he could tune it, and as he did he joked that they are definitely a band that is not afraid of an out of tune guitar.

Built To Spill is one of those wayyy laid back bands that takes the stage with no intro, setting up their own gear, tweaking mindfully on those last minute things that are usually left to a roadie, and then just casually tipping their hand to kill the lights to rip into the show like it’s nothing. Only it’s actually something.

Vocalist and underrated guitarist Doug Martsch radiates that unique kind of chemistry that feels both chill and electric. Melanie Radford handles the bass with an infectious enthusiasm, like someone who’s still a little amazed to be up there, full of high kicks and exuberance while fully owning every moment. Teresa Esguerra brings a steady confidence and razor-sharp precision on the drums, looking like a bad ass that could either take on anyone in a drum solo or take on the PTA. She is fierce and I love the drum rise being front of stage and yet facing her mates, not the crowd. It’s a whole vibe. Together with Martsch’s unassuming brilliance at the center, they strike a well-honed balance—tight, totally in sync, and totally into it.

But for either band, don’t mistake the simplicity of the stage set up and only being a trio into thinking this was something sedate or boring. In fact, the entire show was incredibly captivating. Well played, loud and heavy at all the right points. No tricks or gimmicks, just talent. And the crowd was screaming at the end of each song for each band, hushed in quiet and attentively listening when they played. What a kick ass show! | Laura Jerele

Want to hear more? Check out this playlist compiled by The Arts STL’s David Von Nordheim featuring songs frequently featured in setlists from throughout the Yo La Tengo/Built to Spill tour.